“He will not succeed in harnessing the Seal but he will succeed in killing Ari if you do not tell me where he is.”

“I cannot. I have no guarantee you will not kill him.”

White curled a lip and Red waited anxiously. Time was running out. “Start talking, Gleaming, or I might let Vadit start with an organ I know you will miss.”

Face red with impotence, Gleaming spat an address in Cleveland out at them.

Relief rushed through Red momentarily before his wariness of his brother took over. He looked sharply at The White King, expectantly.

For once frustration was evident in Ari’s real father’s eyes. He shook his head, his lips pursed. “Go. I may not care what happens to anyone else around her but I want her kept safe and alive, even if means pushing her further into your hands.” His eyes flashed with wicked intent. “Only for now though, Brother. Remember that.” His black eyes lifted to Gleaming. “Anyhow, Gleaming and I aren’t done talking.”

Caring less if the two of them beat one another to a pulp, The Red King nodded and fled into the Peripatos calling to Jai for his location.

28 - Blood on a Heroes Hand is Blood All the Same

Already high on adrenaline from the magic used fighting the humans, street lamps pulsed out at Charlie like beacons of ember taunting his thirst. Charlie couldn’t quite comprehend what The Red King was telling them. He stood before them in the alley, his bright red hair plaited down his back and yet somehow now distracted from his badassness as he stood there in a black t-shirt, black jeans and black combat boots. The Red King’s fierce eyes drove into Charlie, his words setting his heart to an even faster beat than it already was at.

It was all a trap.

Ari had been taken.

The rat bastard had her.

It was all a trap.

“Charlie.” Fallon’s pretty face popped into his line of sight, her eyebrows puckered and eyes concerned. “Are you OK?”

“We have to get her,” he muttered, trying to push his hunger for more power down so he could concentrate. Jack had warned him this could happen.

“I didn’t feel anything in the trace,” Jai bit out, confusion and fear in his eyes.

Red shook his head. “I think the harmal must dull all of her connections… even the one to you.”

Clearly not liking the sound of that, Jai growled, “You have the address?” His barely contained fury seemed to shake Charlie awake. He glanced up at the guardian whose pallor had paled, his whole body bristling with angry magic, his bright eyes flashing with deadly intent. That’s how I should be, Charlie told himself. Get it together, Creagh!

“I’ll take those two.” The Red King gestured to them and Charlie realized the Jinn meant to take them into the Peripatos and his conscience twisted when excitement shot through at the thought.

Jai nodded, focused. “Address?”

Information was passed but Charlie was too busy breathing in and out, shoving the addiction down, choking it. He felt a hand clasp his and gazed down into Fallon’s face. Her wide eyes softened. She knew! He felt her squeeze his hand and knowing she didn’t judge him for feeling the way he did, Charlie was able to fight down the need, his brain un-clouding. Nodding gratefully at her he looked up at The Red King with determination. “Let’s do this.”

As before, Charlie panicked a little at the flames that licked but didn’t burn when The Red King clasped his shoulder and pulled him through the Peripatos. It was like riding a really fast rollercoaster, the wind battering into his body, knocking the breath right out of him. Colors blurred into one and his ears almost bled with the roar of the wind.

The world righted itself and Charlie stumbled forward, dizzy and nauseous, The Red King’s strong hand on his shoulder the only thing keeping him standing up.

They stood outside a rectangular redbrick building and Charlie eyed a blurry street sign. They were in Lakeshore.

“How do you want to do this?” The Red King asked the three of them.

“You blast them all to hell while we look for Ari,” Jai replied, his eyes searching over the outer façade of the building as though he really had x-ray vision. Charlie wondered momentarily if he did before shaking the stupid thought out of his head.

The Red King shot Jai a look and Jai gave him an almost apologetic look. “Your Highness. Please?”

“Done.” The Red King nodded and without so much as a warning he raised his hands and the glass fronted doors shattered outwards towards them, raining down on them and the ground in grains of soft sand. “Let’s do this.” Red strode forward just as a woman ran out the door with a gun in hand. With a swipe of his hand through the air in front of her, her eyes rolled back in her hand and she collapsed to the ground. Charlie, Jai and Fallon made their way inside without having to lift a finger as the King continued this line of defense. Three bodies already lay in their wake as they stood at an unmanned reception.

“I sense a few energies.” The Red King turned to look at Jai. “Do you sense her through them?”

When Jai nodded, Charlie felt his gut clench. Jai knew Ari so well he could sense her individual energy from a distance and The Red King couldn’t. He stamped down his jealousy. “Which way?”

“Basement.” Jai gestured to the elevator.

Just as they were about to move towards it, the numbers above it began to ping, the elevator climbing towards them. “I think we’re about to have company,” Fallon said dryly, steadying herself.

They stood side by side, waiting.

With one last ping the elevator doors flew open and six bodies poured out firing guns. Bullets met an invisible shield that glowed ember every time one hit it and as Charlie glanced over at The Red King in wonder and awe, he realized they probably would not have survived this rescue attempt without him.

Realizing the guns were useless, the attackers all dropped their automatics, two of them pulling out knives, three of them bowing their heads in concentration. Sparks filled the air at their fingertips.

“Jinn?” Charlie asked, surprised.

“Lesser Jinn,” The Red King sneered. “They have no idea who they’re dealing with.” At that growling announcement, the Jinn King stepped back and smirked at Jai. “Take them out.”

Jai flew at the first Jinn, his eyes blazing, his fist ramming up in an uppercut. He spun around, taking a human out with a spinning hook kick that Charlie had always admired in martial arts movies.

A fist came out among the group and connected with Jai’s face.

Seeming to push both Charlie and Fallon’s buttons they raced forward. Fallon unleashed an enchantment Charlie hadn’t mastered yet and one of the Jinn fell to his knees, choking as his throat closed up on him. Charlie came face to face with one of the humans with the knife.

He waited.

He didn’t have to wait long.

The man swiped out at him with his knife, his shorter arm not connecting as Charlie slid back on the balls of his feet to avoid the cut. Adrenaline pumped through his veins and sharpened his reflexes. At the attack, Charlie felt his defensive magic ignite within him, the rush almost flooring him before he gained control. Using his defensive magic to fuel the gold piece he wore around his neck, the piece that Jack had gifted him, Charlie concentrated on melting the knife and watched with amazement and overwhelming satisfaction as the man cried out in pain as the knife heated and softened in his hand. He let go, jumping back from the weapon, and Charlie kicked out, his long leg connecting with the man’s solar plexus. The guy stumbled backwards, his face turning red with pain. Not needing to move any closer to hit him, Charlie pulled an elbow back and punched out, pushing his magic into the air and creating a pocket that smacked the guy square on the nose. Blood gushed from his nose but still he didn’t go down. Hearing the skirmish beside him, the sound of Fallon’s faint cry, Charlie threw up an uppercut, the pocket of magic connecting with the attacker’s chin.

The attacker’s eyes rolled back in his head and his body collapsed back against the wall.

Down for the count.

Burning up with the rush, Charlie spun around to help out only to find Fallon taking out the other human, his body falling limp to the tiled floor. Jai was supervising, the three Jinn unconscious… Charlie eyed one of them and noted his chest wasn’t rising and falling… OK, possibly dead. Charlie swallowed, stunned.

“Well done,” The Red King said briskly, blowing past them and into the elevator. “Very entertaining. Get in!”

They hurried inside, all of their nerves jangling from the fight and the desperate need to get to Ari.

The doors pinged open and Charlie blinked against the blinding white of the lab. As his eyes adjusted he noted The Red King had already taken out two people by the time they’d stepped out of the elevator. He knew he should be scared of the guy but... he was just too impressed.

In his quick sweep, Charlie noted the lab was well-stocked, including with girls. Two girls were strapped to chairs that resembled dentist chairs, their skin pale and waxy, their eyes closed either in sleep or death. Neither were Ari. His stomach flipped.

“There!” Fallon shouted, her finger pointed towards the far corner of the lab. They all swung around, following her frantic gaze.

Ari was strapped up in a chair, just like the other girls. Charlie’s heart stopped. Was she dead? At a flicker of movement at the top of his vision Charlie’s eyes shot past her to see a tall guy tapping a code into a wall next to a door.

Dalí?

“He’s getting away!” Fallon cried, her face tight with anger.

“Leave him!” The Red King shouted, confirming it was indeed Dalí.

Fallon wasn’t listening. She took off towards the sorcerer, jumping over spilled containers, slipping on… blood…

Charlie’s face paled as he looked closer at Ari. She was hooked up to a blood bag. There were spills of it all around her, a container full of it. What the hell had he done to her?

“Fallon!” Red yelled but she ignored him and a pulse of magic shot out of her as she blasted Dalí back against the wall just as the door was opening. Another blast shut the door, trapping him in the room with them. Dalí eyed her wearily and Charlie’s heart sputtered at the sight of an emerald glinting as it swung from black rope around his neck.